It seems whenever there is a list of something not so good we find our state listed near the top. One of the more dubious distinctions that Louisiana has across this nation is our instances of cancer among our citizens. Eradicating this deadly disease from our state, our nation, and our lives is a top priority among many medical professionals and families affected by this awful disease.

That's why so many American Cancer Society volunteers from Louisiana and across the country were in our nation's capitol on Tuesday. Their mission was to bring even more attention to the federal government on the importance of funding for more cancer research.

Additional funding for research efforts in cancer should be able to turn the tables on the disease and change it from a deadly disease to a chronic disease.

The comments of Augusto Ochoa,Director of the LSU Health Stanley S. Scott Cancer Center. Ochoa was in attendance with thousands of other volunteers to bring that message to our lawmakers.

More than 9-thousand Louisiana residents die from cancer every year. That's like losing the population of a city the size of Breaux Bridge every year. Ochoa told the Louisiana Radio Network,

We also have a high incidence of certain types of tumors. We have about 25,000 new cases of cancer a year.

Ochoa hopes the efforts of the volunteers in Washington will bring more attention and more funding to cancer research in our state.

The state of Louisiana receives about $130 million of funding from the National Institutes of Health a year, and about $10 million of those are from the National Cancer Institute.

Lawmakers were receptive to the message that was brought by the volunteers. Of course the budgeting process will most likely temper the request for an additional $680 million requested for the National Health Institute.

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